Dash midfielder Denise O'Sullivan does not play for the U.S. women's national team, but she has her own story about a fight for equality.

A veteran of the Ireland national team, O'Sullivan was on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean for a friendly last week when U.S. Soccer and the women's national team announced they had finalized a new CBA after the players' year-long quest for compensation and other resources they deemed on par with the men's team.

Ireland's players, meanwhile, were so fed up that their demands over multiple years were not being met they went to the media on April 4. In that press conference, they threatened to boycott Monday's game against Slovakia.

The players skipped training the morning of April 5 and met with officials from the Football Association of Ireland that night. O'Sullivan said the meeting began at 5 p.m. and that she did not get back to her hotel until 4 a.m.

When she fell sleep, she did so knowing many of their demands had been met.

"It was a big relief for everyone," O'Sullivan said. "We didn't want to be there in the first place doing that. We just wanted to be on the field playing soccer."

Among the things the players wanted were access to a nutritionist, individual strength and conditioning programs, gym memberships, hotels that included at least working Wi-Fi and match fees for all international fixtures.

One of the simplest things they wanted was their own travel apparel. O'Sullivan said in most cases when returning from away games they would have to change out of their track suits in airport restrooms and return them to team staff so youth teams could wear them when they traveled.

O'Sullivan said the most important win was gaining compensation for the players who do not play professionally.

"They train four times a week and have full-time jobs outside of that," O'Sullivan said. "When they leave for national team camp, they are taking unpaid leave, up to 40 days of holidays."

After the deal was done, the players returned to training and defeated Slovakia, 1-0, on a penalty kick by former Dash player Stephanie Roche. O'Sullivan, who has more than 50 caps, played all 90 minutes.

She was back in Houston on Wednesday preparing for the Dash's season opener knowing that win or lose on Saturday, she already has had a hand in as big a win off the field as any she'll have on the field.

"It is absolutely huge, not only for ourselves but for the next generation of younger girls coming up," O'Sullivan said. "To have those resources and their own individual programs is really good. We're quite happy."